Healing
by ava-bell-yan
Summary: Since the death of his grandson and his lover, Jack has been traveling. Never really intending to go back we catch him on the way to some unknown planet. Only to suddenly wake up back on Earth but things are wrong.
1. Shouldn't Be Here

**Chapter one: Shouldn't Be Here**

He waited until he felt the body beside him relax enough for him to untangle himself from the mess of sheets. He didn't so much as glance behind him as he gathered up his clothing, easily slipping into his pants and sliding down his undershirt. The body behind him shifted and he paused in his movements, waiting, but nothing happened. Stealthily putting on the rest of his clothes he let his suspenders hang off his shoulders and slipped on his shoes. Making sure his coat was in order he exited the room. This wasn't odd for him, in fact he hadn't felt more himself since before... well that didn't matter. Making his way through streets he barely knew, he found his way back to where he could beam up to port. He hadn't been on this planet long and he wasn't planning on staying there any longer than necessary.

It had been nearly a year since he left Gwen and Rhys standing in the middle of nowhere. Gwen looking gorgeous at six months pregnant and Rhys looking at Gwen so lovingly. He wished he still had that. He wished, well it didn't matter what he wished, because he could never get it back. With a roll of his shoulders he turned his attention to his wrist waiting for the opportune second to push the button. Pushing it he felt the familiar tug, pulling his body upwards.

What he wasn't expecting was what was waiting for him at the port.

Opening his eyes he sighed beginning to walk with that 'Harkness' confidence. Managing to turn a few heads, he held a smirk on his lips as he made his way through the crowd. Not at all seeming like he hated himself for all the things he had done to those he loved and sure as hell not looking like he would give everything just to make it all right again. After all, he was Captain Jack Harkness.

Nearing his destination he was stopped in his tracks by seeing a man. Just a few yards away, he saw the man leaning against a blue box, arms folded and looking directly at him. His eyes were soul searching and all knowing, he looked as if he has lived one too many lifetimes yet he looked inviting and full of life. Something Jack hadn't felt in long time; alive. Picking up his pace, he ran until he got close to the man in a brown suit leaning against this blue box, his glasses were perched on his nose but he removed them as Jack approached. Stopping in his tracks he heaved a breath his arms coming out from his sides in a gesture of confusion.

"Doctor." Jack said.

"You shouldn't be here, Jack." The Doctor said, looking at Jack meaningfully.

"I...I can't go back." Jack replied his tears welling up in his eyes with a shake of his head.

"No," The Doctor's tone changed causing Jack to look at him. "You really shouldn't be here." He said one last time before turning and disappearing into the blue box.

"Wait! Doctor!" Jack yelled but as he finished his final cry the door to the blue box closed and everything faded into blackness.

He woke up gasping, unsure of his surroundings, only feeling a surge of what he recognized as life rush through him. Looking around him he could only process white walls and he felt the cooling sensation of metal beneath him. He was naked, minus the thin white sheet, which was now pushed down to his hips. The room he was in was slightly colder than normal and he felt slight numbing in his fingers. Pushing up off of the table, not even wrapping the sheet around his waist he tried for the door. His legs gave out before he could process what was happening and he was roughly introduced to the tiled floor. Face smacking nicely against the surface just as the door to the room opened.

A feminine gasp came from above him as she rushed to help him up. She called back behind her for a Doctor as she helped him into the sitting position. It was a few minutes before a doctor arrived and she was still trying to help Jack back unto the table. He tried to help her but all of his strength had been drained and he was of no use. Seemed days had passed before a Doctor had come in and dropped his clipboard on arriving. He stood there and looked at Jack as if he had seen a ghost and all Jack could do was lift his head up and smile.

"Captain Jack Harkness" He said and that was all he could manage out before his throat contracted from its lack of moisture.

It wasn't long before they had Jack in a private room with extra blankets, water and food. He had become a mystery to the Hospital staff, having been found dead in alley only two days before but claimed to have been dead for over a week nobody could explain how he had revived. Jack new but there was no use explaining his entire life story to a bunch of medical doctors that wanted to figure out what he was. Their words, not his.

He was sitting upright in his bed with a tray of food in front of him. Earlier he had been so hungry that he ate everything in sight, now as he sat there. He played with the spoon that was in his hand, looking at it as if it were the most complicated puzzle in the world. It was obvious that he was back on Earth, seeing as all of the hospital staff were human. Judging by the level of technology, he couldn't be too far into the future, in fact it looked like it did when he left. He couldn't figure it out how he got here, he saw the doctor then nothing.

The television was on local news, it was obvious he was in Cardiff. At least something was going right. Pushing the button to call the nurse, he needed to get out of here. He knew better then they did that there was nothing physically wrong with him, anymore. He had healed completely and was ready to get out of here. As the nurse walked in he put on his best smile, it didn't matter that she was at least sixty, he knew just what to say to have her get him what he needed.

"Here you go, darling." The nurses beautiful welsh vowels sounded as she came through his doorway, carrying his clothes.

"You are an Angel sent from Heaven." Jack replied with a big smile.

"Just don't go getting into trouble." She said as she set his clothes down then left with a smile.

With a chuckle, he started putting on the clothes that the nurse had brought him. First his pants, and then his shirt - but only after he removed the tubes that were attached to him. Ripping them off he grabbed for his coat and found that it was clean, there were literally no signs of attack which would have lead to his week long death. With a shrug he set the coat back down on the bed and slipped on his suspenders. Next putting on his coat he heard voices outside of his door, giving it no thought he patted his coat pockets and found just what he needed. Just as he was strapping it on his wrist he heard a nurse yell.

"You can't go in there!" She called.

"We're Torchwood!" A male's voice could be heard.

Spinning around, Jack was met with what he thought was the most beautiful sight in the world. Ianto walked into room, along with Gwen who was right behind him. Ianto's expression turned to pure surprise then confusion as his gaze settled on Jack. Gwen's was no different as each person stood there too shocked to say anything.

"That's not possible." Jack said his expression changed to pure anguish, thinking that this was some sort of sick joke. "How is that-. He can't be."

"Who are you?" Ianto pulled out his gun and pointed it at Jack's head. "Gwen, that's not Jack. That can't be, Jack." His eyes hardened in anger and his voice was low and threatening.

"Ianto, hold on. Just, wait." Gwen moved around Ianto and stood to the right of him to get a better look at Jack. Her right hand was behind her, ready to grab her gun at any moment.

"Jack?" She asked in her thick Welsh accent. "Is that you?" Her eyes were wide and hopeful, yet cautious.

"Something's not right here," Jack pointed out the obvious. "You're dead." He pointed at Ianto his voice accusing and broken.

"What?" Ianto spat disbelievingly.

"Ianto, let's take him back to the Hub." They two of them shared a look. "We'll get everything sorted out there." She insisted.

Ianto stood there for another moment or two before he lowered his arm. His shoulders were tense and as Gwen ushered Jack past him and out the door his eyes narrowed in mistrust. He followed them all the way out into the parking lot and never took his eyes off of Jack in case he were to make a sudden move, hostile or otherwise. He failed to notice however, Jack's confused glance. He didn't notice how he looked at Ianto with an odd sense of longing, yet his stance was just as tense as his.

The drive back to the Hub consisted of awkward silence and suffocating tension. Gwen would open her mouth every now and again as if to ask a question but then would close it and focus her attention back to the road. The route they took was fairly short and when they approached the familiar road that lead to the invisible lift Jack took an intake of breath. Ianto gave him an odd sort of look but recovered and put back on his scowl.

Gwen stopped so Ianto could get out of the car and he yanked open the back door, as to let Jack out. Grabbing his by the bicep he lead Jack to where the invisible lift was. The feel of Ianto's hands on Jack caused him to shiver then wince in surprise as Ianto dragged him to where they needed to stand. As they started to descend Ianto kept his eyes ahead and didn't spare Jack so much as a glance. It didn't matter; Jack was too busy staring at the view in front of him.

He never thought that he would set eyes on this ever again. The Hub had been his home; whether or not he would admit that out loud, he didn't realize how much it hurt that it was destroyed until he saw it again. There was no way that he was back home, this was not the place that he left, yet he didn't want to give it up for anything.

**This was written for Amanda~ I hope you liked it!**

**More to come!**


	2. Cluing In

**Part Two: Cluing In**

Gwen stood at the head of the conference table, arms crossed over her chest as she looked at Jack who was at the other end of the table with his knuckles on the surface. Ianto stood by the door just behind Jack, a hard expression on his face. The tension was still high in the room as Jack explained what happened to him and everything that he remembered. He told them that he had been traveling and that he left Torchwood, how he got to the port and then not remembering anything after that. All he knew was that he had woken up in a Hospital and that he had been dead. Gwen kept her face passive, which was out of character, according to Jack. With a sigh Jack pushed himself away from the table and crossed his arms as he sighed.

"Something's off." Jack said swinging his right arm in front of him in frustration.

"That's obvious." Ianto spat.

"Ianto, stop. Call Tosh in and see if she can't help us figure out what's going on here." Gwen ordered her usually doe eyes hard with authority.

"Tosh?" Jack asked his voice cracking slightly, Ianto gave him a confused glance that Jack didn't see before swiftly leaving the room. "She's still alive?"

Memories of the young woman filled his mind, her bright and clever eyes and the small reassuring smile she always offered. He remembered finding her that day with Gwen, Owen dying just moments before she did. The heartache of her loss was still there, like an open wound that was doused in salt. Another reason why he never wanted to come back, he had been the cause for all of their deaths. Jack was brought out of his reverie and was met with Gwen's stare, she looked almost sympathetic but Jack would be lying if he said he could tell. She kept her emotions in check and it looked like she had seen too much, and that broke Jack's heart.

"Who are you?" She asked crossing her arms, a glimpse of the Gwen he used to know.

"We've been over this." Jack said holding a hand out in front of him and letting out another sigh, expressing his frustration.

His guard was slipping.

"You can't be, not when the real Captain Jack Harkness died over a year ago!" She slammed her fist against the surface of the table.

"Which time?" He let out a bitter laugh at his failed attempt at cheekiness, not caring how hurt flashed in Gwen's eyes.

"Owen!" She called out**,** her eyes seemed even darker now and her tone held nothing but anger.

"Gwen." Owen appeared in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest with an almost bored expression.

Jack wanted to let out a cry as he set eyes on the man before him. This was all becoming too much to handle.

"Owen, I want you to get blood samples, tissue samples. Anything that may get us closer to figuring out who he is," Owen's mouth opened as if to speak but he was interrupted by Gwen. "Then I want you to take him to the holding cells." She ordered as she walked around the table and standing right in front of Jack.

"Until you tell me exactly who you are and what you want, you're not allowed to leave this place." Her face was mere inches from his and her eyes portrayed nothing but disgust but all Jack wanted was to hug her.

"It's pretty obvious who he is Gwen." Owen said but only received a glare in return. "Come on, mate. Better listen to what she says." He said tugging on Jack's elbow then leading him down the stairs.

Owen's eyes never left Gwen's until she turned around and seemed to distance herself from the world. There was no tension between Own and Jack, just awkwardness as they approached the small medical lab. It hadn't changed, not that Jack expected it but it was a bittersweet feeling being there again. Owen gestured for Jack to get on the table as he got his blood and tissue samples, but Jack was lost in memory. He remembered Owen on the table, he had just died and bringing him back even for two minutes was something that Jack needed because somehow he needed to make it right. He needed to make Owen's death, better and not in vain. He never meant for things to go wrong, being the walking dead was something that nobody should live with. Not after going through so much. Jack had been the reason for Owen's death, the reason for his fiancés death. The reason why Owen's life had ended completely. He barely noticed when Owen ushered him off the table and down to the holding cells, he was too lost.

Of course there was no conversation between them, there was nothing to say really. There was so much that Jack wanted to say but couldn't, shouldn't say. Coming upon one of the cells, Owen pushed the button and the door unsealed itself. Jack walked in willingly, his head was down slightly, he looked defeated. As the door shut and he turned to face Owen her lifted his head and met Owen's dark eyes.

"I'm sorry." Jack said his words holding so much more meaning than the man before him may have even registered.

He was sorry for so much. He was sorry for leaving, for causing so much death. He was sorry for not being able to keep his promises, and he was sorry for not being able to do anything to change the past. If Owen understood this he never let on, instead he gave Jack a sad nod.

"We'll get this all sorted out." Owen replied before walking away.

Jack followed him with his eyes, which were sad. A short period of time had passed before Jack realized that he was staring into nothingness. He bowed his head again, resting his forehead against the glass door and wished that all of this was some sort of bad dream.

"Owen, do you have the results on those tests yet?" Gwen asked as she came out of the conference room sometime later.

"Not yet, but we all know what they tests are going to say anyways." Owen replied as he turned around in his chair.

"There's no way that's Jack." Ianto replied as he cleaned one of his guns.

"Oi, why don't you get me some coffee?" Owen responded earning a rag to the face.

"What have we got Tosh?" Gwen asked.

"I've been going through the recent rift spikes and the one that came up when Jack... or, you know." Tosh corrected after she met Gwen's narrowed eyes. "It looked like it was nothing but there were a series of similar spikes in the same area at the same time." Tosh explained, typing away on her keyboard.

"Could there be others that came through the rift?" Ianto asked, joining the two women.

"No, it's more like one large spike dragged out over time." Tosh shook her head. "It's hard to explain." She bit her lower lip, looking at the screen.

"How can that be?" Gwen asked with a shake of her head and arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't know. I'm still looking through all the data." Tosh replied.

"Yes, well good work Tosh but I've done better." Owen came up to the group flaunting the paper in his hand. "I present to you, Captain Jack Harkness." Owen gave Gwen the paper with a slight bow before going and giving Tosh a kiss on the cheek.

"Better look next time, love." He said as Tosh turned and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Oh, I think I'll manage." She responded.

"How can he be Jack?" Ianto demanded.

"I don't know. All I know is that the test never lies." Owen responded when his attention was back on the situation at hand.

"Run it again." Ianto spat before walking away they assumed to the archives.

"How can he be alive?" Gwen asked with tears in her eyes.

"Maybe he's not our Jack?" Tosh asked as she turned around to meet the eyes of her colleagues.

**Thank you for reading!**


End file.
